Battle of Jutland marine’s trombone goes on display – BBC News

<figure class=”media-landscape” has-caption full-width lead”> Image copyrightNMRNImage caption The fragment of the trombone has been lent to the museum, along with medals and a newspaper clipping

Part of a trombone owned by a Royal Marine bandsman on board a ship at the Battle of Jutland has gone on display.

Bandsman Frederick Charles Palfreman, aged 17, was on HMS Warspite during the World War One battle which claimed almost 9,000 lives.

His son lent it to the National Museum of the Royal Navy, along with medals and a newspaper clipping, to mark the 100th anniversary of the battle.

Nick Hewitt from the museum said it was an “extraordinary set of objects”.

<figure class=”media-landscape” has-caption full-width”> Image copyrightNMRNImage caption Bandsman Palfreman (second from left, back row) played trombone with the Royal Marines Band

“I think they really make two important points so well; that everyone on a warship was exposed to the same risk, even the band, and also that there were many participants on both sides who would today be considered children,” he said.

Bandsman Palfreman, born in Pimlico, London, played trombone in the Royal Marines Band having studied, it is believed, at the Royal Marines School of Music at Eastney, Portsmouth.

He survived the war and died in 1987, aged 88.

His son, David Palfreman, said his father never spoke in any detail about his experience at Jutland.

“I’ve had the artefacts for many years but the 100th anniversary of Jutland made we wonder if they would be of interest to an audience outside the family. I’m surprised and very pleased by the interest but my overwhelming feeling is one of pride in my dad,” he said.

The Battle of Jutland was the only major sea battle of World War One.

It was fought near the coast of Denmark on 31 May and 1 June 1916, involved about 250 ships, and saw the Royal Navy’s Grand Fleet, based at Scapa Flow in Orkney, clash with the German High Seas Fleet.